Without Words
by Ginger S
Summary: Marco and Johnny talk about family while they are trapped in the basement of a building collapse.


Without Words

By GCS

_**DISCLAIMER: "Emergency!" and its characters © Mark VII Productions, Inc. and Universal Studios. All rights reserved. No infringement of any copyrights or trademarks is intended or should be inferred. This is a work of fiction. This story is only written for entertainment. No financial gain is being realized from it. The story, itself, is the property of the author.**_

"How did you and Roy get so good as a team?"

"You know I'm not really sure. We're really so different. He's happily married with two wonderful kids, and I'm…well I'm still looking. He's a homebody and I love to go places. He's a little older than me too. Not just in age. I mean he's an old soul. I'm always getting into something and he's always getting me out of it." He scratched his head above his right eye and then ran his fingers through his long thick hair. "We just started talking one day during a break at training. The next thing I knew he was offering to help me study. That night I was standing on his front porch wondering what the hell I was doing. I mean I like kids, but spending a Friday evening at a married guy's house with his family was never what I expected to be doing. When Joanne opened the door and graciously invited me in I could tell she was checking me out from head to toe and wondering the same thing."

"So that's how it started…the partnership?"

"Oh no that was just the first time I ate at his house, and I gotta tell you the food was fantastic. Joanne Desoto can cook. Anyway, I was so nervous. I had on a tie and sport coat. I thought the tie was getting tighter and the coat was making me sweat. I just wanted to ask forgiveness and get out of there, but then Roy walked in from the kitchen and handed me a cold beer and told me to take off my coat and stay a while." He chuckled. "That did it. He put me at ease and I relaxed a little. I asked if I could help with dinner. Joanne looked at me like I was crazy." He shrugged. "I mean I always used to help my Mom. I just thought it was the right thing to do. Anyway, she said no and smiled at me. She still didn't know what to think, but I scored a few points."

Marco couldn't see Johnny in the dark place they were trapped in. He was really worried about him. Johnny was trapped from the waist down underneath some debris, and he couldn't free himself. Marco couldn't help him because he was in a similar situation with a beam across his back. All he could do is keep the two of them talking, so they could stay awake. He didn't have much medical training, but working with Johnny and Roy on rescues had taught him that one of the most important things to do is keep the victim awake. "They'll find us soon Johnny."

"I hope so Marco. I hope so."

Marco could hear the pain in Johnny's voice. He didn't sound like he was doing very well. "So you were telling me about dinner at Roy's."

"Huh? Oh yeah, Roy and me stayed in the living room sipping beer and watching TV until Joanne called us to dinner. It's funny we ate in the kitchen. Usually when people have company they eat in the dinning room, but they already made me feel like family. I'm not really sure why. Maybe it was Roy's idea, but I don't think Joanne was trying too hard to impress me. It's like she didn't think I would be back again. Then she called the kids to the table. I tell ya Marco those kids were so well mannered. They walked into the kitchen and went right to their seats. Jenny was so little. I think she was three, but she acted like a little lady. Chris must have been about five. Roy told them to say hello and they called me Mr. Gage. I felt so old like my father when they did that. I remember asking them what they had done that day. They looked at me wide eyed like no one ever asked them that before. Then they started talking a mile a minute. When I looked up, she was smiling at me again. Joanne I mean."

"She was pleased that you took time to include her children in the conversation. Most people don't do that. You know the old saying 'children should be seen and not heard'."

"Well Marco I think that's silly. Children have brains and feelings just like everyone else. On the reservation, they consider you an adult at the age of fourteen. You go through a rite of passage and everything. Then you have to work as hard as your parents around the farm, or ranch like the one we had. I was already living with my aunt when I turned fourteen. I never had that ceremony." He was quiet for a few minutes before continuing. " I just think we need to spend more time talking to kids and letting them talk. How do we expect them to learn anything if we don't talk to them. Besides Roy's kids are intelligent. I've learned a lot from them." Johnny coughed until he almost choked.

"You okay?" Marco knew he wasn't, but maybe if Johnny told him how he was doing he could tell Roy when they found them. Johnny might be unconscious by then. He didn't think about himself being unconscious even though it was a strong possibility. He just knew he needed to keep Johnny talking.

Johnny cleared his throat and hoarsely told him he was all right, just needed a minute to catch his breath. Marco closed his eyes for a minute. He thought it was just a minute until he heard Johnny calling him with an alarmed tone in his voice.

"Marco, wake up. You need to wake up now. Marco?"

"Um…" He cleared his throat. "I'm awake, Johnny. I must have fallen to sleep. How long did I sleep?"

"I'm not sure. I dozed off too I think. Listen we need to try to stay awake." Johnny said softly. Marco could tell he was losing hope.

"What were we talking about?" Marco asked. When Johnny didn't answer, he decided to start the conversation up again. "Oh I remember, you were telling me about your first visit to Roy's house."

"Well there's not really much more to tell. We ate Lasagna and salad with brownies and vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup for desert. I had to turn down the brownie and syrup. I'm allergic to chocolate. I don't think she believed me. I told her I would swell up like a balloon, probably break out in a rash and choke. She just smiled and gave me a big bowl of ice cream. After dinner, Roy and I went out on the deck to study at the table. The deck was small back then. I think I told him that first time that I could help him make it bigger if he wanted me to. I don't know why I said that. He just asked me over to help me out. That didn't mean we would make it a habit. At least that's what I thought at the time." Johnny chuckled. "As soon as I said it I looked up and there was Joanne again smiling from the door. The next thing I knew she was bringing us fresh coffee and more ice cream. Ever since that day she always has plenty of vanilla ice cream for me."

Marco could hear the love for the Desotos in Johnny's voice. He knew that kind of love. He had it for his family as well. "She thinks a lot of you, Johnny. They all do."

"I know." He sighed. "I love them too. I should tell them more often how important they are to me. I hope I get the chance."

"You will."

Just then, a powdery smoke filled the unnatural cave that surrounded them in the basement of the building they had been trying to save. Both men were overtaken with coughing and gasping for air. "What was that?" Johnny said when he could finally speak.

"Maybe they're getting closer to finding us." Marco coughed out. "I think it was dust."

"Man, whatever it was nearly choked me to death."

"Me too." Marco tried to clear his throat. "I didn't know you were allergic to chocolate."

"Yeah, when I was about three my mom got me a chocolate candy bar. I really liked it until I couldn't breathe. They rushed me to the clinic on the reservation and gave me a shot of epinephrine. I had to stay in bed the rest of that day and most of the next. I was so sick. Believe me I'll never eat chocolate again. I have to be careful with some deserts. You know sometimes things have chocolate in them but you don't know it. I keep some epi in my glove box and some at home. You never know when you might need it. Of course, at work we have it in the squad. Benadryl helps, but it's not as effective. It was pretty scary not being able to breathe, especially when I was just a little kid."

"Wow that would be scary to anyone. I love chocolate. I can't imagine not being able to eat it or cook with it. Do the other guy's know you're allergic?"

"I don't know. I don't think so. Cap maybe. It's in my file. Roy knows of course. I think maybe Dwyer. He's allergic to peanut butter. We talked about it once."

The two men stopped talking and listened. They could hear some noises above. "I think they are right above us. Do you think we should yell something?" Marco asked.

"Not yet. They're still too far away to hear us." Johnny sighed. "We need to save our strength."

"They'll get here in time John."

"Yeah."

"So…you were saying something about being out on the deck studying." Marco was enjoying hearing about how Johnny and Roy became such good friends and partners as much as he could with a beam across his back.

It was well known in the department that Johnny and Roy had a special bond. They worked together almost like they were cut from the same mold. People said twins often knew what the other was thinking, but twins had nothing on the two paramedics. It was almost as if they shared the same brain. Marco had worked with them for a year now. He had seen the two in action both inside of burning buildings and outside treating victims. Every time one of them needed something, the other already had it ready. When they knew a victim was in trouble all they had to do was look at each other. It was like they could read each other's minds. He and Chet were close friends, best friends and did a lot together on the job and off, but they had to speak to know what the other was thinking. Hearing about how the two had become so close was fascinating. Johnny didn't normally talk about himself. Marco knew he was taking advantage of his trapped state to learn more about Johnny, but he was glad he got the chance to know him better.

"We studied like that for the next few weeks, always at his house after a great dinner, sometimes on Friday night, sometimes on Saturday, but then one time on Sunday they asked me to go to church with them to hear the children's choir. Jenny and Chris were singing. I'm not much of a church kind of guy. We um…my family…we have different beliefs. We think there are higher powers…um…we call them spirits. The spirits watch over us, as do our ancestors. Anyway, I agreed to go see the kids sing. They did a good job. When we got back to their house we put on shorts to sit on the deck and study, but it was such a nice day. Joanne had planned for Roy to cook on the grill and we would eat on the deck. Jenny and Chris were playing in the sprinkler. They were having such a good time." Johnny snickered. "I just couldn't resist."

"What did you do?" Marco knew what the answer would probably be. He knew Johnny always played with the kids in the sprinkler.

"That was the first time I played in the water with them. We ran around the yard yelling and splashing while Joanne and Roy watched from the deck cooking. Then the kids tackled me in the grass and little Jenny looked up at me giggling and talking about how much fun I was. That's the first time she called me Uncle Johnny." Marco could hear the crack in his voice. He swallowed back the tears that threatened to come. "I didn't know what to do. I pulled her into a hug and just sat there in the wet grass staring at Roy and Joanne with my mouth open. Joanne called from the deck that lunch was ready and told Chris to go and get Uncle Johnny a towel. She called me Uncle Johnny. I knew right then that I was part of the family. I got up from the grass, walked over to the deck and pulled her into a hug. I was soaking wet and crying like a baby. Roy laughed his butt off, but I just dripped all over his wife and blubbered like a fool. When Chris came back out, he handed me the towel and asked Roy what was wrong with Uncle Johnny. I swear Marco it had been so long since I was part of a family. It felt so good, especially finally knowing that Joanne liked me too. Roy and I graduated the next week and he asked me to be his partner at 51's."

"So that's how you became partners. How did you learn to read each other's minds?"

"What?"

"You and Roy, how did you learn to communicate without talking?"

"What are you talking about Marco, we talk."

"At a rescue when you need something Roy has it ready. When he thinks a patient is bad you know what he's thinking." Marco explained.

"Humph." Johnny made a noise that indicated he suddenly knew what Marco was talking about. "I never really thought about it. I guess it just kind of came from training together."

"I don't think so Johnny. You and Roy have something special. Not only are you partners, but you're best friends. I've never seen another pair of paramedics work the way you two do, or fire fighters for that matter. When you and Roy go into a building, you each know which way the other is gonna go with just a look and nod. I've never seen anyone else that can do that."

"I guess it started after that mine collapse. I never really thought about it, but you may be right. I can't seem to do that with anyone else when Roy isn't working. That next morning we were on a run for a heart attack. The guy wasn't doing well at all. I just looked at Roy. I didn't know what to say. I knew the guy probably didn't have much of a chance and needed to tell Roy we should get him loaded up and to the hospital. All I knew was I wasn't saying it. I wasn't saying anything and neither was he. It was a very strange thing happening right then, because without saying anything we still managed to have a conversation. Somehow, he knew exactly what I was thinking, and I knew exactly what he was thinking. It's been like that ever since. We just connected."

"Well whatever happened must have stuck with you, because I see it every time we are on a run. Sometimes when we all get together on our off time, I can see it too. You guys can carry on an entire conversation that no one else can figure out." Marco smiled with pride.

"Hey, did you hear that?" Johnny's voice was filled with excitement. "I think they're right on top of us. HEY! We're down here!"

"We're here!" Marco yelled too. Then the two men were quiet trying to see if anyone heard them. When they didn't hear a response, they tried again. "HEY! Down here!"

"Marco." Johnny whispered.

"Yeah Johnny?"

"If…if we don't...if I…" Johnny stumbled over his words.

"They'll get here Johnny."

"I know, but tell Roy…tell them that I love them and thanks for making me part of the family."

"You'll tell them Johnny. You'll tell them yourself." Marco prayed he was right. Johnny must be injured pretty bad to be talking like that. If only he could get that beam off his back and hadn't lost his flashlight so he could get a look at just how bad his friend was buried.

Then the two were quiet again. All that yelling had exhausted them. "Marco, we need to stay awake, so we can tell them when they get close. Why don't you tell me about your family?"

"Nothing much to tell that you don't already know. I have a big family, and they are always around cooking and eating and just enjoying being together. My mother keeps us all in line. She loves to watch people eat her food. She talks about you all the time."

"Really?"

"Yep, she says no one can put away more tamales than you can. She loves that. She told me to tell you she can make up a batch that you can freeze if you want her to."

"Wow that would be great. I love your Mom's tamales."

"Okay, I'll tell her as soon as we get out of here."

Just as he finished the sentence, dust filled the room again as well as a rumble and some falling timbers. "Johnny! Marco!" They could hear Mike calling their names. "You guys down there?"

"We're here." Johnny croaked out. "We're trapped Mike. We need help."

"Johnny!" Roy yelled to him. "I'll be right down."

"Roy!" Johnny could barely call out. "Bring the port-a-power. Marco has a beam across his back. You'll need the backboard and a collar."

"What about you, Johnny?"

"I'm okay." He almost whispered.

"He said he was buried from the waist down, Roy. He 's been coughing and wheezing. He lost consciousness for a while."

"I fell asleep and so did you Marco." Johnny retorted.

"Okay guys we'll get everything we need and be right down." Roy was worried about how badly injured they might be. They had been down there for three hours trapped and half buried. He pulled the belt around his waist and grabbed a flood light before being lowered down. As soon as his feet, hit the ground he flashed the light across at each of his crewmates and saw them both grinning with soot covered faces.

"Good to see you Roy." Marco said with sincerity.

Roy turned to Johnny and their eyes met. Roy knew without a doubt how glad Johnny was to see him. He could see it in his eyes. He could also tell that Johnny was hurt badly. Even covered in dirt and black ash he could see the strain around his eyes and the pinched look across his forehead.

Chet landed next to him and then Mike. The crew from 36's stayed up top helping Cap. Next, the equipment came down and the three men began the arduous task of digging their friends out.

Roy met Johnny's look and knew he wanted him to get Marco out first. Roy was not sure that was the best plan since he wanted to get his friend first, but he acquiesced and turned to Marco to get his vitals while Chet and Mike moved the beam. It was a slow process, but he was finally free and on a backboard. They finished strapping him into the stokes and he was on his way up to the paramedics from 36's for IV's and transport.

"I'll see you up top Johnny. And as soon as I see Momma I'll get her started on those tamales." Marco called to Johnny as he was hoisted upwards.

"Thanks buddy." Johnny could barely speak which alarmed Roy.

He moved quickly over to Johnny to get some vitals. "Okay Junior, it's your turn. Tell me what's going on."

"I can't feel my legs anymore. I think I hit my head. I know I aspirated some debris. My chest hurts. My ribs. I'm a mess Roy."

"Okay partner. Let's get you out of here." Roy looked to Mike and Chet and the three of them began digging him out. While he was digging, he called to Captain Stanley for the Mast suit. Once all that pressure was off of Johnny they would probably need it to get him stabilized.

The suit was lowered along with Craig Brice. "Thought you could use a hand Desoto. Bellingham is with Marco. How are you doing Gage?"

"I've been better Craig." Johnny loved to aggravate the 'Rule Book'.

Craig laughed. "I can see that."

"Roy am I that bad? I mean did I just have a hallucination? I thought I heard Craig laugh." Johnny smiled a little.

"Nope you heard right." Roy was glad Craig had lightened things up. They all knew they needed to get Johnny out quickly. His color wasn't good and his breaths were ragged. His voice was almost a whisper.

"Roy, how's it coming down there?" Captain Stanley was worried too. He had just been with the crew for a couple of months now and he was not ready to lose one of his men.

"We almost have him out Cap."

"Good, good." Hank stood and clapped his hands together. "Let's get that stokes ready."

When they got the last of the debris lifted from Johnny's legs, he looked over at Roy and without words, Roy knew Johnny was trying not to pass out. "Okay let's get the suit on him. Now!"

That had been three days ago. Marco had already been released from the hospital yesterday, but Johnny was still in ICU. Dr. Early had determined that his legs were numb from the constant pressure and that when the swelling went down he would recover completely. He had several broken ribs, which were causing him to struggle with breathing along with the smoke and dust. Of course, he developed pneumonia. That always seemed to happen to Johnny, but the antibiotics seemed to be working and Dr. Brackett planned to move him out of ICU sometime today.

Roy had been keeping vigil beside his friend. He was relieved when Johnny's fever broke and he started feeling his feet during the frequent checks. Johnny was relieved too.

"Roy." Johnny whispered hoarsely.

"What is it Junior. Do you need something?" He leaned close to Johnny who was lying on his side so he could see him.

"I…need to tell you something."

Roy saw a tear trickle from Johnny's eye and slide down his nose. He knew Johnny wanted him to know how much he loved him and his family. He didn't know how he knew that's what Johnny needed him to know. He just knew it by the look in his eyes. "It's okay Johnny, I know."

Johnny smiled and closed his eyes. He was glad that Roy understood without words. He didn't have the energy to try to explain it right now.


End file.
